new_generationsfandomcom-20200213-history
Sarutobi Clan
"Proud to be loyal." '- Motto of the Sarutobi Clan.' The word loyalty has a lot of meanings for the Sarutobi, regardless of which sub-clan part they originate from. Having a history from which they draw pride and honour the Sarutobi aren't like many clans united with one clan leader or council governing over them. Split in various factions and groups the Sarutobi people are strong, but not united. Over the ages the people of the clan have been staunch allies of the Hon and Cho Clan , fighting in their conflicts at their side. While obtaining more influence and power as a whole clan, there is no united front of the Sarutobi. Yet. Traits * Most Sarutobi have the affinity towards Fire Release. Though it isn't strange to see Sarutobi shinobi favouring Earth and Water Release. * Most Sarutobi have dark coloured hair, such as brown/black, but there have been enough that sport a hazelnut color. Freckles are also a common sight, though this is more of a superstitious belief - same as believing that every white haired person is a Hanamoto or Hon. * Quite loyal, due to their traditions and culture of the Sarutobi. * Following up their clan's mascot, hunters, soldiers and shinobi of the Sarutobi clan sport a rave(n) summoning or symbol in most cases. History The history of the Sarutobi can be summed in a few words. Despair, danger and odds. They claim that their clan came from the lands that are north of the Hon Clan lands, reaching towards the Iron, Rice and Waterfall countries. While in present days the Sarutobi don't show any desire to obtain these lands for their own - clans these days aren't meant to be independent factions, unless they are capable or desire to break apart from the nation they serve or live in. So far the history of the Sarutobi is intact - because there is a claim that much has been lost over the time that the clan migrated towards the forests of the Fire province of the Akinian Empire - it supports the old history and reasons on how the Sarutobi came to clash with the Hon clan. Reaching for more fertile and safe lands, as they were driven by all kind of reasons - likely because the Sarutobi clan started to abuse their influence and power for their own gain, resulting in envy and hostility from their neighbours and presumed subjects - from the region of which they came from, the Sarutobi clan moved into the grounds that were claimed by Hon clan. This transgression was the result in a lengthy conflict. Eventually it came to a truce, allowing the Sarutobi to focus on settling into their new home. The conflict had driven the Sarutobi into the woodlands, where they managed to hold their ground. Some old records of the clan claim that the conflict molded the Sarutobi culture and traditions, because of some measures that the leaders of old had taken. Settling down into the woods, the Sarutobi clan tried to isolate themselves. The warring clans around them didn't promote the Sarutobi into meddling into the affairs of others. Not surprising as they had already a bloody history of migrating from their old lands into new ones. Over some time, with the Hon's trying a more diplomatic approach, the Sarutobi eventually allied with their old enemies. This was at first done out of fear for another conflict, which they feared would be result if they would decline any cooperation between their two clans. This cooperation would be the foundation of the change of the clan's attitude. Instead of seeking solitude in their new ancestral woodlands, the Sarutobi clan - almost shyly- moved to new lands. Being invited to also have some representative in the Hon stronghold, the Sarutobi clan started to seek out ways to solidify their clan's might. It is almost ironic as it happened during the same time that the Hon clan became more self-focused, that the Sarutobi started to look for how to they could expand their clan's influence and power. Not by a great extent, but enough to try to prevent another forced migration. News reached in the year of 414 that the Uchiha and Senju Clans had found a village together. Skeptical at first, the Sarutobi waited a few years. Then they tried to cautiously make some movement as it seemed that the country was being unified, indicating that the warring clans were being replaced with nations and countries. Joining the Leaf, the Sarutobi were given a compound. Remaining largely in their woodlands, the Sarutobi did start to get a representative population in their compound. Though some of the Sarutobi started to enlist themselves as soldiers and shinobi, this always has been remained a small part of the clan, making them not really prominent in the eyes of the ambitious. Probably something that doesn't trouble the Sarutobi too much as the majority of the military provided by the Sarutobi would remain at home, in the hills and woods of their people. Members As the other Chonobi clans there are many lineages to be found within the Sarutobi clan. Here are several known and also present lineages: Lineage of Sigeberth: * Hiron Hon, jounin of Team 9 as well major general of the third division. * Kiyomi Homura, adopted daughter of Hiron Hon and current/first Empress of the Akinian empire - 13th generation. * Kazumo Sarutobi, genin of Team 8 and cousing of Hiron Hon - 13th generation Lineage of Idaowa: * Katashi Sarutobi, Captain-Commander of the Sworn Swords. Lineage of Vaugros: * Ling Sarutobi, Chosen Representative of the Sarutobi clan. Traditions The Sarutobi culture revolves largely on remembering where they came from, what they endured and what keeps their sub-culture alive. As explained before, some might find the majority of the Sarutobi festival and yearly events to be bland, grim and depressing it takes one to look beyond the surface. The festivals and events certainly have a cheerful aspect, but it takes the saying of the Sarutobi to realize that the clan doesn't want to forget what might prevent another dreadful forced migration from their woodlands. Though never having been truly zealous, the Sarutobi religion is much similar to their northern - region - neighbours, the Hon's. They have a wide pantheon of gods, heroes and animals that play an important part in their folklore and mythology. This does mean that the majority of the Sarutobi clan doesn't pray to their patron god(s) and hero(es). Instead they honor them with rituals and 'sacrifices'. Not strangers to bring sacrifices to their patron gods and heroes, the Sarutobi however are very strict what they find a sacrifice these days. In their old times, a sacrifice was often food or livestock. Something that had a higher value than they have now, because what is a sacrifice if it won't be missed? This leads often to the confusion of outsiders when the Sarutobi sacrifice coin and valuable wares to their gods and patrons. There are tales enough of thieves and ignorant outsiders who were trying their luck in fishing out jewelry, coin and other sacrifices of the Sarutobi of rivers and spots. Ending more than often captured or being killed by the ever watchful Sarutobi. Faith The Sarutobi believe and worship the Chonobi gods. "We Will" These two words form the saying of the Sarutobi clan. This is because the Sarutobi clan's old history makes it hard for them forget the hardship that they had need to go through. It is in line with the clan's motto, "Proud to be Loyal", because the clan values loyalty a lot. This is not to be mistaken that the Sarutobi don't have their own agenda's, but it is common to see them to follow their superiors. It is most likely because the Sarutobi clan still don't want to invoke any reaction that will trigger a response that moves another forceful migration. Some might state that the Sarutobi lack a lot of festival events and traditions. This stems forth from the fact that the Sarutobi were kind of a poor clan. Not surprising as they had to migrate, got into a lengthy and grim conflict and thus because they had to adapt, many people lost their lives before even reaching the age of 40-50. It further supports the motto and saying of the Sarutobi clan, reminding the clan itself from their hardship and origin. Chonobi Chonobi is the language that the Sarutobi share with the Cho and Hon clan. It isn't known or ever recorded when the language came to be. It is suspected from those within the Sarutobi clan that the language has been founded some time after the old Sarutobi and Hon conflict. With the cultures starting to show similarities, it is speculated that the Sarutobi started to influence the Hon clan. This further started to grow as the Cho clan started to contact and interact more with the Sarutobi and Hons. Woodland Dwellers The 'new' ancestral lands of the 'modern/present day' Sarutobi are mostly woodlands. Woodlands that they have defended with tooth and nail from various other rivals and enemies. Most of their traditions thus come the fact that the majority of the clan are born and grow up in a region that is famed for the dense forest. The old way of warfare that the Sarutobi started to favor after the migration is still kept in check. With their dense woodlands, the Sarutobi started to use guerrilla warfare, using longbows and their skills to take down an enemy from a safe distance and utilizing the surprise effect to not allow an enemy to properly react back. The respect for the woodland that helped them to preserve their clan has even slipped into that the Sarutobi highly favor those with the Wood Release. It isn't that common in the clan that people are born with that chakra release though. Paint Paint is an important aspect in the present day Sarutobi culture. Warriors and military personnel use it to instill dread and fear among their enemies. But also to showcase the reason why they fight. Using symbols of old, warriors show that they fight, for personal honor and glory. Family and their future or other reasons. At festivals and weddings Sarutobi clan members often paint each other faces, allowing a certain kind of bonding as it allows one another to bestow good luck or such on the other. Color and symbols, each having their own symbol and meaning behind it. * Red is the color of energy, passion, action, ambition and determination. It is also the color of anger and sexual passion. * Orange is the color of social communication and optimism. From a negative, color meaning it is also a sign of pessimism and superficiality. * With the meaning of colors, in color psychology, yellow is the color of the mind and the intellect. It is optimistic and cheerful. However it can also suggest impatience, criticism and cowardice. * Green is the color of balance and growth. It can mean both self-reliance as a positive and possessiveness as a negative, among many other meanings.'' '' * Blue is the color of trust and peace. It can suggest loyalty and integrity as well as conservatism and frigidity. * Indigo is the color of intuition. In the meaning of colors it can mean idealism and structure as well as ritualistic and addictive. * Purple is the color of the imagination. It can be creative and individual or immature and impractical. * The color meaning of turquoise is communication and clarity of mind. It can also be impractical and idealistic. * The color psychology of pink is unconditional love and nurturing. Pink can also be immature, silly and girlish. * In the meaning of colors, magenta is a color of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. * The color brown is a friendly yet serious, down-to-earth color that relates to security, protection, comfort and material wealth. * From a color psychology perspective, gray is the color of compromise - being neither black nor white, it is the transition between two non-colors. It is unemotional and detached and can be indecisive. * Silver has a feminine energy; it is related to the moon and the ebb and flow of the tides - it is fluid, emotional, sensitive and mysterious. * Gold is the color of success, achievement and triumph. Associated with abundance and prosperity, luxury and quality, prestige and sophistication, value and elegance, the color psychology of gold implies affluence, material wealth and extravagance. * White is color at its most complete and pure, the color of perfection. The color meaning of white is purity, innocence, wholeness and completion. * Black is the color of the hidden, the secretive and the unknown, creating an air of mystery. It keeps things bottled up inside, hidden from the world. May-Day Wells hold a particular place in the Sarutobi sub-culture. On May-day, every first day of the month May, the women leave their homes early in the morning to gather wild flowers or bunches of greenery to offer to the 'sacred' well. This event is to bring fertility among the clan members as for a promising harvest as it is a sign of respect to the gods of earth and fertility. Though this is seen as a rather serious festival, over time it has become more of a cheerful event. Now that the clan however isn't as poor as they were back in the old days, they often hold a small feast at the end of the day. Sarutobi Wedding Traditions The true Sarutobi wedding customs and traditions come from clear springs, the reverence of water sweet and straight from the rock and soil. Customs were inspired by the fragile beauty forest flowers, the moon light and the constant turn of seasons over the years. Under the wild and natural settings people gathered in great circles, close to the breath of the gods who sanctioned the unions. For the Sarutobi, location is critical. In their old time - from the days where they just founded their new ancestral lands - , just as today, where an actual wedding take place is imbued with significance. Sarutobi wedding ceremony is often witnessed by communities of friends and loved ones, including, perhaps, the yew tree. All the elements are intertwined, imbued with soul and tied to a great web of life. Every Sarutobi bride and groom has to decide whether the marriage will take place in a natural setting, less touched by human hands or in a building such as a church or temple. Traditionally, weddings are hold in circles, rather than aisle. Circles are the blueprint behind life giving systems in nature. They are a symbol of wholeness and completeness, in contrast to the more linear and hierarchic perspective of religious institutions. The Feast of the Ravens One of the traditions that the Sarutobi claim to have survive from the time of their ancient ancestral land. On the end of December, usually a family of the Sarutobi clan decorate a tree of their liking. It is decorated with symbols that have a meaning for the Sarutobi. Moons, stars and the sun, but it isn't rare to see that members of the clan decorate the tree of their choosing with items of loved ones that died in that year. Items and belongings that neither fit or are capable of hanging in the tree are often placed around it. At the end of the old time of darkness - just before the seasons of Spring and Summer (called 'the time of light' by mostly the old Sarutobi ) - the family remove the decorations and items from the tree and burn the tree. Some families however decide to burn the decorations and items - mostly made from greenery and stuff that can be missed- though this is rather a new turn in the tradition. After burning the tree, the family then gather together with their kin, spending time together. The reason for the fact is called 'The Feast of the Ravens is mainly because the Sarutobi believe the raven to be the herald of death and misery and this feast is to remember those who have after all died. Something that they almost share in common with their Hon allies, though the Sarutobi have different stories about the animal that is their mascot - as subtle differences as the Hon believe the herald of death is a crow, not a raven. End of Dawn Seen often as a dire time, the Sarutobi clan, prepared as best as they could for the 'time of darkness' : Autumn and Winter. Before Autumn, the Sarutobi clan would herald the coming of the 'darkness' with ritual sacrifices. In old times, this meant often food and livestock. In the present days this has been more shifted towards coin, jewelry and other valuable items. The spots and locations for the Sarutobi clan to do this varies. Where one community of the Sarutobi clan throw these sacrifices into a river or stream, another community bury their sacrifices. In essence it is to honor and praise the gods of the earth, in return allowing another prosperous bounty for the next 'time of light'. Sarutobi Factions "Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best." Ever since the fall of the old Sarutobi realm the clan doesn't have enjoyed the leadership of one single person. Even while there have been prominent Sarutobi over the course of history who were close or being somewhat regarded by the majority as the leader of the Sarutobi clan, a real official nobility to lead the clan as one hasn't been there for centuries. Soon after settling in their current homeland there was a brief conflict over the succession. Eventually the factions would settle down and focus first on letting their people recover from their suffering. Slowly these groups became what can be called sub-clans within the Sarutobi clan. Each sub-clan is not that much different from one another as they each follow the same traditions and did hold meetings together when it came to decisions about diplomatic with the neighboring clans and cultures. Once every three months the Sarutobi have a clan meeting in Ardara to discuss upon several points as well in order to keep the Sarutobi clan together as one. At least, for the outside world. * Blackroot Vale * Pinedale * Aldermarsh * Edani * Gwade Relations “Friends ask you questions; enemies question you.” * The (Imperial) Homura dynasty As the Homura dynasty is the one ruling over them, the Sarutobi have a stark loyalty towards the crown. It certainly has invoked some interest as it seems that Imperial dynasty has some traces of Sarutobi in it. What further helps their interest and loyalty is that the Homura Dynasty has strong ties to the Hon clan. Seeing that the Imperial line follows the adoption of Kiyomi by Hiron, most Sarutobi regard the Homura dynasty as a noble Sarutobi branch. * The Hon Clan Ancient rivals and old allies, one could call the relation between the Sarutobi clan and the Hon clan to be the usual product of when two (sub-)cultures clash and then learn more about each other. With similarities between the two clans, the Sarutobi respect stems also forth from their history and long-standing friendship/alliance together. A small community of the Sarutobi clan can be even found within the Hon Estate and heartlands. * The Cho Clan The Cho clan are considered like the Hons as old friends of the Sarutobi clan and culture. With a long history of cooperation after settling down in their current wood and hill-lands, the Sarutobi and Cho have enjoyed a prosperous cooperation for a long time. * The Uchiha Clan Remaining true to their saying, the Sarutobi remember the fact that the Uchiha clan allowed a community of the Sarutobi clan into Konohagakure. This allowed the Sarutobi to learn more about the newly developments that the world was experiencing with countries starting to rise and pushing the time of warring clans to an end. The Sarutobi look with respect and overall favorably towards the Uchiha clan, even though they find themselves more on common ground with the Hon's. * The Hyuuga Clan Wary, is what the Sarutobi are towards the Hyuuga clan. One can argue that this stance is because the Hyuuga 'policy' is the opposite of the Sarutobi clan. While they aren't in any manner over-negative or hostile towards the Hyuuga clan, the Sarutobi clan are mainly wary because of the attention the Hyuuga 'demand'. Something that makes the Sarutobi hesitant to align themselves with the Hyuuga clan- not surprising if one tries to understand the Sarutobi clan. * The Nimatsu Clan From the viewpoint of the Sarutobi clan, the Nimatsu clan are looked with a wary opinion. The fact that they had plotted against those who the Sarutobi are faithful towards, there is also the fact that the Nimatsu clan comes from a region that is outside the Fire Province that supports the wary stance of the Sarutobi clan towards the Nimatsu. * The Hyuzu Clan and Sanosuke Clan The Hyuzu as Sanosuke clans enjoy the respect from the Sarutobi people. Despite many Sarutobi never meeting a Sanosuke or having many dealings with the Hyuzu, the two other clans are considered distant kin. Some legends and stories state that the Sarutobi and Hyuzu are from the same Sarutobi kingdom of old, reinforcing the idea the ideal of friendship. * The Kusanagi Clan After the first meeting of leaders and representatives of the clans in the Empire at Keishi, the message of Ling Sarutobi has made it clear that the Kusanagi aren't viable contacts - yet. The fact that the Kusanagi have slighted the leader of their ancient and close friend, the Hon, the Sarutobi clan has chosen to withdraw from interacting much with the nomads. It is going even that far that they rather forbid any Kusanagi from entering the woodlands, hills and meadow that the clan proclaim as their home. Category:Chonobi Category:Empire of Akino Category:Sarutobi